


It''s a wonderful Buck

by Dtrob1224



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:13:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28305108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dtrob1224/pseuds/Dtrob1224
Summary: Buck is not feeling the Christmas spirit, and everyone is letting him be, until he refuses two special invitations one from Maddie, and one from Christopher.  Can I visit from his old friend Red show his how different their life would be without their Buck. Merry Christmas
Relationships: Athena Grant/Bobby Nash, Eddie Diaz & Carla Price, Evan "Buck" Buckley & Christopher Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley & Maddie Buckley, Henrietta "Hen" Wilson/Karen Wilson, Maddie Buckley/Howie "Chimney" Han, Red - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	It''s a wonderful Buck

It’s a wonderful Buck  
A 911 Christmas story

All of the 118 family was getting ready for Christmas, and everyone was excited about the events of the upcoming weekend. The only one who was not feeling the spirit was Buck. He just felt alone, and in a funk about Christmas. He was working Friday before Christmas along with the rest of the team. Everyone knew that Buck was not in the mode, but they tried to give him his space until it came to a head that afternoon.  
Buck was alone in the kitchen, when he heard Edde calling him from the house below. “Yo Buck get down here. Someone wants to see you, get your ass down here.”  
Buck looked over the rail to see Bobby, Hen, Chimney, Eddie, along with Christopher and Carla. “Hay buddy what are you doing here?”  
Christopher sounded excited about something. “Buck, Buck could you come down here please. I have something to give you.”  
Buck slid down the pole and walked over to the group and got down on one knee. “OK Chris I am here, what you got for me pal?”  
Christopher handed Buck a ticket. “It is a ticket to my Christmas pageant. I am going to be a wisemann. You are going to come right. Please Buck please.”  
Buck tried to let him down gently. “You know Chris, I got a lot to do. Maybe you should invite your abrella, she loves that church stuff. I am not cut out for this stuff.”  
“Oh alright Buck,” Chris tried to hide his disappointment. “You keep the ticket in case you change your mind. Dad, can I use the bathroom before we leave?”  
“Sure Chris I need to change anyway, come on.” As Eddie walked off, he gave Buck the dirtiest look ever.”  
Buck was left with Chimney, Bobby and Hen, who spoke first. “You have got to be the biggest prick on the face of the earth.”  
“I have to say, your mistaken Hen.’ Chimney was staring at Buck. “He is not a prick, he just a fucking asshole. If I had my way I would uninvite you to the tree trimming party.”  
“Yeah about that” Buck stammered, “I don’t think I'm going to make it. Could you tell Maddie for me?”  
“Oh hell no!” Chimney was angry “This is the first time in years that she wants to do anything Christmassy, and her only family doesn’t want to be a part of it. No Buck-a-roo call her yourself.” Chimney stormed off to the locker room.  
Bobby just stood there, and shook his head. “I really thought you changed. Don’t even talk to me.”  
Buck picked up some take out on the way home. He didn’t want to hang out with Eddie and Chris. He put off calling Maddie for hours, until 9pm when she called him. “You know what Buck, come, don’t come frankly I could not care less. But Chimney called Eddie and he is still trying to convince Chris to do the pageant. Once he stopped crying.”  
Buck did not like the idea that he made Chris cry, but he attempted to justify it. “Well he did not cry with me.”  
“Oh God forbid he cries.” Maddie was angry, “not in front of his Buck, his friend, his hero, although I don’t know why”  
“Well it is past his bedtime,” Buck answered her, “I will call him first thing in the morning.”  
``Whatever,” Maddie was disgusted, “the damage has been done. Hope you are proud of yourself.” and with that the line went dead.  
Buck was disgusted with himself. He put his phone to charge and got undressed to take a shower, but at the last minute changed his mind and pulled back the covers and went to bed.  
Buck was not sure how long he was asleep when he fett the bed being kicked and someone talking to him. “Kid hey kid get up we gotta talk kid get up, come on.”  
“Red what the hell,’ Buck was waking up slowly. “How did you get into my house… wait aren’t you dead.”  
“Yes I am,” Red said proudly, “Dead as a doornail. By the way thanks for the send off, it was really nice. I am here because they sent to help you out, well, help them out.”  
Buck was still sitting in bed, “Help me, Help them? What the hell are you talking about?”

“You dumb son of a bitch,” Red sat on the chair next to the bed, “There are two people who you claim to love more than anyone else on earth, and they both cried themselves to sleep because of you. Stupid jerkoff.”  
Buck threw off the covers and was eye to eye with Red. “They don’t need me. Christopher has his father, and Carla, and his family. And Maddie well she has Chimney and the baby coming. Neither one of them needs me, in fact they would be better off if I was never in their life.”  
Red was laughing, “Big talk from a guy waving his dick around like a flag.”  
“Well i was going to take a shower but then I just wanted to go to bed so I…” Buck felt his face go red and both hands covering his privates “  
“Honestly Buck,” Red opened the draw and pulled out a pair of underwear and threw them and the pants and shirt that he wore the night before. “I worked for the LAFD for twenty-five years, and I have seen more naked men than I care to. Now get dressed we have places to go and people to see. I'm going to show you how better off they would be without you.”  
Buck scrambled to get dressed, he felt his pockets and looked around the room. “My wallet, my phone, they were right here.”  
“You don’t have a wallet or a phone, you don’t exist.” as Red was talking Buck felt his back pocket. Red held up Christopher’s ticket. “You're looking for this, but it's just a ticket to a kids Christmas pageant, big deal.”  
“Yeah but it is mine, now give it here.” Buck reached for the ticket, but Red put it into his shirt pocket.  
“You want this kid, you gotta earn it. You and Eddie reward Christopher for good behavior, well now the shoe is on the other foot. Now chop chop we have to go.” Red started down the steps and Buck followed after him  
Buck had no idea how they got there, but all of a sudden they found themselves in a dingy medical office. Buck knew he was not in California, but where they were, he had no clue. So he asked the only person he could. “Red where are we? Better question why are we here?”  
“We are in East St.. Louis,” Red answered, “and we are going to see Sare.”  
Buck had no idea who Sara was, but before he could ask. A woman was screaming. ‘Sara, Sara where are you?  
Buck could not believe his eyes when Maddie came out of one of the rooms. “I am right here Lucy, trying to catch up on the filing. What do you need?”  
Lucy was annoyed as she spoke, “The Miller kid threw up all over exam three. I need it cleaned up right away. Come on now.”  
“Alright alright I'm coming,” as Lucy walked away Maddie said something else. “Bitch clean up your own puke.”  
Buck turned to Red. “What is she doing here. Her name isn’t Sara. She is a 911 operator, She lives in LA with her boyfriend, Chimney. They are going to have a baby”  
Red shook his head. “Sorry pal, but Maddie’s stream never flowed that far.”  
“Maddie’s what?” Buck had a puzzled look  
Red sat down on a chair in the waiting room. “See kid we are all streams flowing toward our destiny, and the people and experiences that we encounter are the rocks, some are small and we move right over them, and some are huge and they can change the course of their flow. You, Even Buckley, were a boulder in Maddie’s life . See, she didn’t just run away from her abusive husband, she ran to her brother, and that changed everything.”  
Buck sat down next to Red, “I...I neve thought about it. I just thought Maddie and Chimney were just meant to be.”  
“They were meant to be.” Red explained, “Because of you. You were the reason they came to be, and without you …  
Buck looked into space. “I changed the destiny of Maddie and Chimney.’  
“Not to mention pal,” Red continued, “the life of that baby that will never be born.”  
Buck shook his head. “I don’t want to be here anymore. I can’t look at this anymore.”  
“Well kid,” Red stood up and started toward the door, “If you can’t take this. Then this next part is really going to suck.”  
Buck and Red found themselves in the parking lot of a roadside diner. Red slapped Buck on the back, “You know where you are?”  
“I think so,” Buck looked around, “This is right near the cemetery, we came here right after we buried you”  
“Very good pal.” Red pointed to the cars pulling into the lot, “now shut up and Listen”  
Athena and Bobby got out of the car, and opened the backdoor to let Harry and Denny out. The other car parked right next to the first and Chimney, Hen and Karen got out and entered the diner. They were greeted by the waitress, Carla, “Hi seven right this way. Should I expect more firefighters, was this a funeral?”  
“No it was just us.” Athena took her seat, “It was a dedication of a grave marker.”  
Buck couldn’t help it “Why is Carla working here? Why isn’t she with Chris?”  
Red just turned his head, “Didn’t I tell you to shut up?”  
“Well,” Chimney sighed, “At least they are together…...well sort of.”  
Karen put her menu down. I cannot believe we never found anything after the tsunami. I mean really nothing?”  
“Well…” Bobby started  
“Bobby don’t.” Athena protested  
“Baby they have a right to know…..They are family.” Bobby held her hand.  
Bobby began, “It was a couple of months after. They found a crutch on the beach, and they traced the name on the label to Edde at the station and they gave it to me. By that time he was so far gone with drinking and fighting, I did not have the heart to give it to him. It is still in my trunk.”  
Chimney sipped the coffee. “The bastard who was taking care of him, that left him alone on that pier should be in prison.”  
Atena shook her head. “All that kid got was child abandonment and abuse of a child with a disability. He might get a couple of years if we are lucky.”  
Hen was fed up. “He should get double murder if you ask me. Come on If Chris was alive, Eddie would fight like hell to get out of that hole.”  
“Moma,” Denny leaned against Hen, “Do you think he was afraid, he was always so brave before.”  
Buck looked at Red and shook his head. “No no no, Chris got off that pier, he survived, and Eddie fought like hell to get out of that hole.”  
“Sorry kid,” Red said. “But Eddie was needy, he got some college kid to take care of Chris, and paid him to take him out for the day. When the wave came the kid turned chicken, dropped Chris and ran. Once the hole caved in on Eddie, he took it as a sign and shut his eyes and went to be with his son. Come on, one more stop and we are done.  
Buck was numb with what he was seeing and hearing. Within a blink of an eye Buck and Red were on the road in the cemetery. “Neither one is there, but the marker is nice. Go take a look at it right with Shannon’s grave.”  
“I I never made it to the grave site.” Buck was staring off into space,  
“Why Buck what happened What happened that day. Tell me!” Red screamed  
Buck fell to his knees. “He was so good. Christopher was so good. At the wake Eddie brought him in before everyone, and after he just sat in the back and drew pictures. We took turns taking care of him. At the church he held Eddie’s hand, he was wonderful. But when we got here, he could do it, he could not watch mommy go down in the ground. He had a meltdown. Eddie begged and promised him anything but he would not get out of the limo.”  
Red walked over and put his hand on Buck’s shoulder. “What happened next. Finish the story.”  
Buck was wiping tears away with his hands. “I told Eddie to leave him, and I got in the back of the limo with Chris while they went to the grave. But we did not have anything, not a toy car or a crayon. I was desperate. So I took off my shoe and put my sock on my hand and I turned it into a puppet. I started talking in these funny voices and before we knew it, we were laughing like fools. Then the door opened and Eddie was standing there. There I was with one shoe off and one shoe on with a sock on my hand.. Eddie had tears in his eye and he hugged me and told me that I was his brother, and he loved me.  
Red bent down and spoke into Bock’s ear. “A kid likes Chris thinks in pictures, and when Chris thinks about love, and he does. Three pictures pop into his head, his mother’s kiss, his dad’s hug, and a Goddamn sock puppet.”  
Buck started sobbing out of control. “Eddie, Christopher I’m sorry, Oh God I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry  
“I’m sorry” Buck was still sobbing when he realized that he was no longer at the cemetery, he was back in his own bed. Buck was still crying when he heard Jingle Bells playing somewhere. He realized it was his phone. Christopher changed his ringtone the day after Thanksgiving.  
Buck scrambled to get the phone. On the phone was a picture of Eddie and Christopher. Buck hit the button and answered the phone. “Eddie, Eddie is really you.?”  
“Yeah Buck sorry to wake you.” Eddie sounded cheerful, “but Chris asked me to call. I have to bring over to the church for a rehearsal and he wants to know if you…”  
“Yes absolutely, I’ll be there.” Buck interrupted  
“Alright good.” Eddie sounded relieved “You got your ticket?”  
“Ticket hang on.” Buck leaped from the bed and went to his pants and reached into the back pocket and pulled out the ticket, and picked up the phone. ‘Yeah i got my ticket, I guess I was a good boy.”  
“What?” Eddie was puzzled  
“Nothing nothing,” Buck tried to calm himself. “Listen Eddie, could I take Chris for a while. I will bring him to Chimney’s please?”  
“Thank God Buck,” Eddie sighed. “I was making my list and checked it twice. I forgot his Christmas pajamas and some stuff for his stocking. You are saving my neck, thanks Buck.”  
“No problem” Buck smiled, “You know anytime, seriously I will take him anytime you need me.”  
“I know that Buck, I have always known that.” Eddie smiled, “see you soon.”  
Buck hung up the phone; he really did not know what to do first. He had some gifts to wrap, and he wanted to make room for a tree he was going to get with Chris. He had to get the carseat ready for Chris. He was half way down the steps when he felt the sunlight hit his skin, all of his skin. He laughed and said to himself. “A shower Buck, let's begin with a shower and some clothes. “  
It was 10:50 when Buck walked into the gymnasium of Our Lady of the Snows. The place was packed with people and kids running around. The stage had a handmade stable in the center, on one side was a tree and the other was a big red chair waiting for Santa. Buck did not know where to go, when he heard a voice from below. “Mister can I help you? Who are you looking for?”  
Buck looked down and saw a pretty girl in a wheelchair, dressed like an angel. Buck smiled at her. “Yes I am looking for my friend Christopher.”  
“Oh Chris, he is my friend.” the angel the point toward the right side of the stage. “He is over there waiting to go on stage.”  
Buck saw Chris across the room and saw Christopher, in his wiseman costume talking to a shepherd. Then the angel pointed toward the other side where he saw Eddie speaking with some parents. Buck started walking toward Eddie when the angel spoke again, “Oh your ticket please.”  
Buck pulled the ticket out of his pocket and gave it to her. “Here you go sweetheart.”  
The angel took the ticket. “Thanks Buck.”  
Eddie saw Buck coming, “hay you made it, he will be thrilled.”  
“Chris hay Chris look who’s here,” Eddie called across the room Christopher raised his eyes and smiled.  
There was an announcement that everyone should take their seats, and the show began. The pageant was cute, and then some carols, and then a visit from Santa Claus. When it was all over, Eddie volunteered to help bring the kids off the stage. Buck was left with Carla. Carla took his hand, “You alright Buck-a-roo. You had us worried last night, but you ok now?”  
“Yeah Carla I’m good,” and he kissed her hand. “You know that I love you Carla. I am so grateful I have you.”  
Carla squeezed his hand. “Oh Buck I don’t know where I would be without you and my boys, especially my little wiseman.” and she opened her arms and Christoper ran into her embrace.  
“Carla did you see me, was I good?” Christopher was so excited.  
As Carla told Chris how well he did. Eddie came walking up with the costume over one arm and a toy truck from Santa in the other. He threw the toy to Buck. “Here I got tons of these at home. You take it, this way I don’t have to carry toys back and forth.”  
“Thanks,” Buck laughed, “but I was holding out for an airplane, or maybe a rubber ducky.”  
“Maybe in your stocking.” Eddie looked over to see that Chris and Carla were talking. “And speaking of stockings. You are coming over Christmas eve, Santa needs an elf to get everything put together and under the tree. You can sleep over so you are there for the morning”  
“I would love to.” Buck laughed. “Do I get my own pair of Christmas Pajamas?”  
Eddie smiled, “I will see what I can do...Wait do you wear pajamas?”  
“I am thinking about making a new year's resolution.” Buck laughed  
Eddie wanted to ask another question, but Christopher spoke first. “Buck did you see me? Did you like the show?”  
Buck held Chris up by his shoulder, “Yeah buddy it was great. I loved the singing. Listen Chris, I need to run some Christmas errands and I am looking for a sidekick, you up for it?”  
A giant smile grew on Chris’ face and he turned to his dad. “Daddy can I go with Buck please.”  
Eddie crossed his arms across his chest. “OK but remember we have to be at Chimneys and Maddies at 3:30. I going to bring you a change of clothes, and we will get you dressed there alright”  
“Great daddy thanks.” Chris then gave Eddie and Carla a hug and kiss good-bye. The two walked out of the gym. Buck had one hand on Christophers shoulder, and the other holding a toy truck.  
It was 3:20 and Chris and Buck were in the hall outside of Chimney's apartment; they were both wearing Santa hats with their names on them. Christopher was so excited, “I love the tree, I hope we got enough ornaments? Do you think they will like the hats?”  
Buck smiled, “yeah Chris it will be fine, and I am sure that everyone is going to love the hats.”  
Christopher looked up at Buck, “Thanks for coming to my pageant. I am glad you came.”  
Buck crutched down to look at Chris in the eye. “About that buddy, I want to apologize for making you sad. I never want to see you upset,”  
“I know Buck, your friend told me.” Chris smiled  
“My friend,” Buck laughed, “You mean, your dad.”  
Christopher looked Buck in the eye. “Well dad tried to make me feel better, and he did a little. He even sat by my bed and made sure I was alright, but I wanted to be alone so I pretended to be asleep. Dad went to his room, and that is when your friend with the funny name came to talk to me.”  
Buck was puzzled, “A friend of mine, what was funny about his name?”  
Chris smiled at the thought. “It wasn’t a name, it was a color.”  
“A color,” Buck did not believe he was about to say this, ‘like Red?”  
“Yeah that's it, “ Christopher was excited, “He told me that you were being silly, and that he was going to make sure that you came to my pageant, and he asked to borrow this.” Christopher worked to pull something out of his pocket. Buck offered to help, and it ended up being his ticket to the pageant”  
Buck looked at it in disbelief. “But Chris I gave it to the little girl dress like an angel...You know the one in the wheelchair”  
Chris shook his head. “There were no angels in a wheelchair, and I picked that off the bench at the station yesterday. I had it under my pillow last night. Red put it back when I was asleep. Open it.  
“Open what Buddy?’ Buck still could not get over what he was hearing. “It is just a ticket”  
Christopher attempted to move the lower corner of the ticket, and Buck realized that it was not a ticket but a card. Buck opened the card, and up top was a picture of the two together taken last Summer, and underneath it said ‘Dear Buck: Thank you for being my friend and for all the fun we have together. Merry Christmas, Your friend always Christopher’”  
Christopher was very proud of himself. “See Buck it was not just your ticket, it was your Christmas present. From me to you.”  
“I love it buddy, and I love you.” Buck had a question he needed answered. “Buddy, my friend Red, when he spoke to you, did he really call me silly did he?”  
“No Buck he didn’t.” Christopher's face went as red as the hat on his head. He went as close as he could. “But if I say it the way he said it, my dad would wash my mouth with soap, and it is way too close to Christmas to be put on the naughty list.”  
The thought that Red visited Christopher shocked him so much that he fell backwards sitting on the floor of the hallway with Christopher standing over him laughing. While this was happening Chimney opened the door and saw Buck sitting there. “Do I really want to know?”  
“Honestly Chimney, Buck was getting to his feet. “You would not believe me even if I told you.”  
Chimney shook his head and over his shoulder shouted, “We can start now the wiseman is here.”  
Buck looked in the bag and took out the santa hat with Chimney's name on. “Here you go pal. Now you look like a giant elf.” and they walked through the door. Eddie saw them come in, put down his drink, and picked up a knapsack. “There you guys are. I thought I would have to send out a search party.”  
Christopher was so excited he could not contain himself. “Dad dad, Buck and I got a tree and all these decorations, and he said we could go there tomorrow and help him decorate. Please dad.”  
Buck took a hat out of the bag and put it on Eddie’s head. Eddie looked at the name. “Daddy/Eddie?”  
Buck shrugged, “We could not make up our minds.”  
“You, a tree really.” Eddie was surprised  
Buck smiled, “Believe me I just thought it was a good idea, and it made him happy. How about it?”  
Eddie shook his head. “We are working the 4 to 4 shift. If we do this I have to get him home by three for Carla.”  
“I called her,” Buck smiled, “she is going to pick him up from my place by 3:15, and we can go in together.”  
“Homework?” Eddie put on his best dad voice  
“I will do it tonight when we get home.” Christopher promised  
“You will do it tomorrow with Carla.” Eddie laughed “Besides you will probably be asleep before we get out of the parking lot. Let’s go and get you dressed for a party. We’ll be back, Buck.”  
As they walked off to the bedrooms, to get Christopher changed, he kept thinking that he might be a boulder in their streams, but they are mountains in his.  
Buck felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Chimney. “You did well, he is really happy.”  
“Yeah he is,” Buck smiled, “Listen I am so sorry about last night. I also want to let you know that I am so happy that Maddie has you and the baby. I cannot wait to be an Uncle...Uncle Buck.”  
The two looked at each other and Chimney said, “We need to work on that.”  
Buck agreed and then walked over to Hen, Karen, Denny and Harry working on the tree. The boys ran over and hugged Buck. “Hay how are my guys, Merry Christmas. Could you help me pass out the rest of these,” and he took one out for Maddie.  
Hen and Karen kissed Buck on the cheek, Karen asked, “You good pal, you had us worried.”  
‘I guess you heard.” Buck smiled  
“Hen might have mentioned it,” Karen laughed, “Hen might have said something when she got home, and at dinner, and maybe before bed.”  
Hen got between them. “Ignore her, the pageant was nice?”  
“Very nice glad I went.” Buck walked over to Athena and Bobby. Athena kissed him and went to help with the tree. He was left with Bobby. Buck started “Bobby I…”  
Bobby reached for Buck and drew him into a fatherly embrace.”Sometimes you can be a really headache Buckley, but I love Buck and I hope you always know that.”  
Buck had tears in his eyes, “I love you Bobby, always have always will.”  
Buck moved into the kitchen where maddie was pouring drinks and placing glasses on teays. Buck started helping “What is the difference with the trays?”  
Maddie worked pouring five glasses on one tray, “These are for the boys, bobby and myself. No rum. The rest have rum. Did I forget anything?  
“Yeah you forgot to beat the crap out of your brother.” Buc said jokingly, “and a straw for Chris.”  
Maddie pulled a straw from behind her back. “Buck your an ass, but you are my brother, and I don’t know where I would be without you. Come here my crazy brother “  
The two carried the drinks and gave them to everyone, Once everyone had someone called for a toast.  
“May I.” Buck raised his glass. “A friend told me that we are all streams flowing toward our destiny and the people that come into our lives are boulders that shape us and help to become the person we were always meant to be. So thank you all of you for helping me to a better man, and I love you all, Merry Christmas.”  
And they all said cheers Merry Christmas


End file.
